I talk about airport security a lot, but honestly it seems like the general population still needs a lot of help. There are a million things you can do to set up your stuff correctly so that you go through security efficiently (see recent post Security Refresh for step by step instructions). I know that all of my fabulous readers know how to get through the line with a minimum of fuss and without slowing anyone down, but just in case someone hasn’t heard this very important tip, here it is again.

Once you get through the metal detector or the body scanner, immediately go to the X-ray machine. Pick up your stuff, and grab your suitcase and briefcase. Then move out of the way, over to the benches, chairs, or tables set up specifically for the purpose of arranging your things. Then you can leisurely put your shoes and coat back on, put your laptop where it goes, and repack your liquids bag, without holding up the security line. It’s so simple!

You may be wondering what brought this on. Friday, when attempting to leave town, I was behind a business traveler. He seemed to have his stuff pretty well together, and got through the line rather quickly. But when he got to the other side, he stood there blocking access to the X-ray belt, while he put on his coat and put in his earbuds. I was speechless. The whole process took him several minutes, while my items were trying to come out of the machine and couldn’t. Oy.

Readers, what’s the strangest thing you’ve seen someone do when picking up their stuff in the security line?

Last week on my way to Nashville, the last seven or eight passengers to board had to check their bags. This has become fairly standard, as more and more people try to carry-on to avoid checked-baggage fees. I get it, I really do. It sucks to pay $40 or more extra per trip. But as much as the flight attendants say it, there will never be room for everyone’s bag. There are ways, however, to make sure there is room for many, many bags. (Pictured: Samsonite Women’s Xspace 30″ Expandable Spinner, available on Amazon for $159)

The key? Put your bag in the right way. It is the biggest single thing you can do to make sure the most passengers can fit thier bags in the overhead. It can be slightly confusing, because on some aircraft the bags have to go in wheels first, on some they have to be handle first, and on a few planes they can only fit sideways. (In the past, I’ve always had a hard time getting my bag to fit wheels first on Southwest planes, so I’ve had to put it sideways. Last week on my flight home, though, I was able to make it work. So I guess it really depends on the plane.) On some planes, i.e. the Super 80s that American uses all the time, the bags will only fit on one side. The most important thing is to listen to the flight attendants! If you fly all the time, you probably know on any given plane how your bag will fit. But if you don’t fly as much, or you’re on an unfamiliar aircraft, pay attention!

You’ve heard it all before, and you’ll probably hear it every time you fly. The overhead bins are shared space. So do your best to share!!

Last June, I celebrated my first blogiversary, went to Vegas, attended my first blogger conference, and had some crazy flying days. Makes me feel busy just thinking about it!! Here is what I wrote about, as a result of that craziness…..

Lots of etiquette! A list of carry-on etiquette, plus reminding passengers to please not grab the seat in front of them.

With several friends taking long trips, I revived my long flight survival guide.

The summer was HOT, so I tried to figure out how to beat the heat and still look professional.

Finally, I realized that it’s not just me: sitting in the back of the plane is actually worse for motion sickness.

And TWO years ago (it amazes me that I can say that) I wrote about my love affair with the pashmina. And this love  continues today!

Happy Friday everyone! Have a great, safe 4th of July weekend.

My best friend had quite the interesting trip home from Atlanta last month. You’ve already heard about the gate changes she had to deal with, but that was way better than what happened actually on her flight.

She sits down in her seat, gets comfy, and goes to sleep. After about half an hour, she keeps hearing funny noises that wake her up. Click. She looks around. Click. What the heck is that? Click, click, click….. She finally stands up to stretch her legs, and to see if she can figure out where the noise is coming from. It turns out that it is a woman, behind her, clipping her fingernails. With an actual fingernail clipper. When she told me this story, my immediate response was, “No way.” I just couldn’t believe that anyone would do that. But I was wrong, because that woman was clipping her fingernails. On the plane. Wow.

Friends, please do not do this. Ever. In fact, I would say don’t clip your fingernails in public, ever. But on a plane, in my opinion, it is even more offensive due to the close proximity everyone has with their neighbor. Can you imagine sitting next to someone clipping their nails? <<shudder>> Filing your nails is better, but I don’t think I would do that on a plane either. Again, the proximity.

Readers, what is the rudest thing you’ve ever seen while traveling?

In support of the current “Country Means Business” promotion, Road Warriorette will be featuring a weekly sponsored post on behalf of Country Inns & Suites and has been compensated by Country Inns & Suites for her contribution.

We want our hotel rooms to feel like home, right? That’s part of the deal with hotels. You travel, you’re away from home, and you want to feel comfortable. I get that, but it’s still important to remember that not only are you a guest, you are not the only guest. Be cognizant that your actions can affect the stay of others. Road warriors have to look out for each other! Some things to remember:

Be ready to check in. When you reach the front desk, try to have your credit card and ID ready, especially if there is a line. Often by the time you get to the hotel you have been traveling or working for a long time. It can be very frustrating to wait for someone to remove all of the contents of their purse, wallet or briefcase to find their itinerary.

Watch your noise level. Most of us know this one, but sometimes we can be loud without realizing it.  Be aware of this whether you are on a work conference call or catching up with friends or family. I was guilty of this myself once. I was in a room next to a coworker, and she could hear my alarm through the wall. It wouldn’t have been a problem, except that I am a “snoozer.” I set my alarm 30 minutes early, and it goes off every five minutes. This could be very irritating for guests in rooms nearby.

Don’t slam the door. I am pretty sure that most people’s parents taught them not to slam doors in the house. Why should a hotel door be any different? I know these doors are very heavy, which makes it even more important to close them quietly.

Share the common areas. You’re not in your own living room. Spreading your stuff all over every available space is rude, but too common. Once, I came downstairs to the hotel lobby to get some work done, and found one person using three armchairs- one for him, one for his briefcase and one for his papers, with his laptop taking over the ottoman! It’s true that common areas are typically designed to be very comfortable (check out the lobby at Country Inns & Suites-many have fireplaces, oversized chairs, freshly baked cookies and even a lending library!) but don’t forget to allow others to share the space with you.

Clean up after yourself. Leave your room in a reasonable fashion. Towels on the floor are one thing, since this often signals your desire for laundry service. But don’t leave trash lying around, and make sure to call room service to pick up your tray when you finish eating.  This extends to the common areas as well!  If you are enjoying breakfast at a busy time, clean up after yourself and throw items in either the trash or appropriate recycling containers so that someone else can use your table quickly. No need to wait for housekeeping.

Tipping. The tricky question: To tip or not? It is never required, and should be thought of as a reward for excellent service. There are many different rules for tipping, so check out this great guide from Cheapflights. Tipping etiquette varies between countries, so be sure to research local customs when tipping internationally.

Remember that while traveling, you are in a shared environment – whether you’re borrowing space on a plane seat, in the restaurant booth, or yes, even the hotel room. So share nicely!

Readers, what are your favorite hotel etiquette rules?

Andi is a travel lover, foodie, writer, and Francophile who writes the fabulous blog Misadventures  With Andi.

6:17, slam!

6:36, slam!

7:12, slam!

You get the picture. That was how my day started this morning in the hotel I am staying in while attending a business conference.

I am pretty sure that most people’s parents taught them not to slam doors in the house. Why should a hotel door be any different? I understand that these doors are quite often rather heavy, all the more reason to allow it to close gently.

While traveling you are in a shared environment, temporarily borrowing the space that you occupy whether that is the plane seat, the restaurant booth, and yes, the hotel room.

The Golden Rule applies here as well. Do unto others as you would have done unto you.

No one appreciates constant door slamming, especially if they do not have to get up until 8:00 for their conference!

Business Travel 101 is a weekly series about making that first business trip as easy and successful as possible. Packing, security, comfort, and etiquette are all factors that, with a little planning, can contribute to a smooth and efficient trip. If you think of a topic I should include, email me at RoadWarriorette@gmail.com.

Sometimes I feel that everything I write is designed to help people have a calmer, more peaceful trip. Preparing well, packing simply, and being mindful of your fellow travelers are all things that I talk about a lot. If all travelers enacted these practices, the traveling world would be a better place. We’ve talked about preparation and packing, therefor the obvious next Business Travel 101 post is one about etiquette.

Etiquette is something I feel strongly about in my everyday life, as well as my travel life. Not necessarily the traditional, so-many-rules-it’s-hard-to-remember-them-all etiquette, but simply recognizing that you are not the only passenger on the road and acting accordingly. This is a list of my favorite etiquette guidelines, but not by any means all encompassing. If there is one that means a lot to you that I missed, let me know! And let’s travel nicely.

Security

• Be prepared to go smoothly through security.  Know what the current security rules are for the location you are traveling through, and follow them. Have everything ready to go (laptop, bag of toiletries, shoes off, etc) as soon as you get to the bins. Have all change out of your pocket. Have your boarding pass out for people to see. If there is an option to choose your security line based on your level of experience, please choose honestly.

Carry-on

• Know your airline’s guidelines. All major airlines have the size and weight restrictions for carry-ons on their website. If your bag is too big, they may make you check it. Also, there are slightly different size requirements for international carriers vs. American carriers, so make sure your bag works for your continent as well.
• Make sure you can lift your bag. You may not be able to depend on having people around you that can help, and some flight attendants are prohibited from helping customers put bags up.
• Put your suitcase on the correct side of the airplane, facing the correct way. Listen to what the flight attendants tell you to do, and do it. If one side of the plane is made to hold rollaboards, please put your suitcase there. That way there is room for everyone’s stuff.
• Only put your large bag in the overhead. Put your purse or briefcase under the seat in front of you, until you know for sure there will be room. Also, don’t put your jacket in a bin unless it’s going on top of or in front of your bag. Again, we’re trying to make room for everyone.
• Put your bag in the bin as close to your seat as possible. If you are sitting in row 25, and there is no room over 25 and there is room over 23, that’s one thing. But if you’re sitting in row 25 and you put your bag over row 8, that the people in row 8 won’t have room.
• Don’t make it your plan to gate check.  If you bring a normal sized carry-on that you are happy to bring on the plane or gate-check, that is one thing. But please don’t bring an oversized bag on the plane, expecting they will make you gate-check it. If you are bringing too much stuff, check your bag. If you don’t want to pay the fee, bring less stuff. Don’t slow everyone else down because you’re trying to save $20.

On the plane

• When you are standing up to go somewhere, please don’t grab the seat in front of you for balance. Most people, it seems, simply don’t think about this. Every time you touch the seat in front of you, the person sitting there can feel it. Grab your own seat if you need help!
• Let the middle seat have the armrests. You may be tall, have long arms, need a lot of space…. It doesn’t matter. The person in the middle has less space than you, and it makes their flight better if they get the armrest too.
• Respect the crew. If the flight attendant tells you to turn off your cell phone, do it. If they tell you where to put your bag, put it there. The crew is responsible for the transport and safety of over a hundred people. They are not your personal chef, bartender, or secretary.
• Keep your kids corralled. Whatever it takes to keep your kids happy, be it snacks, juice, music, a coloring book, please do it. Don’t let your child kick the seat in front of them! I know sometimes it’s unavoidable, but if it is constant throughout the flight it can get very uncomfortable for the person in that seat.
• Be mindful of reclining. When I posted about whether or not reclining your seat is rude, the results were definitely mixed. If you need to recline your seat, make sure that you don’t keep it reclined the entire flight, especially during food service.

Once you arrive

• Practice patience while deplaning. Hundreds of people rushing down the aisle to get off the plane all at the same time…..it’s just not possible. Even though it can be frustrating to have to wait what feels an excessive amount of time, be patient. And when it is your turn, grab your stuff quickly. If there is someone who has a tight connection, it is polite to let them go first or pass you in the jetbridge if necessary. Think of how you would like to be treated in that situation!
• Don’t be too loud in hotel rooms. Most of us know this one, but sometimes can be loud without realizing it. I was guilty of this myself once. I was in a room next to a coworker, and she could hear my alarm through the wall. It wouldn’t have been a problem, except that I am a “snoozer.” I set my alarm 30 minutes early, and it goes off every five minutes. Which can be very frustrating for a neighbor.

Readers, what are your favorite etiquette tips?

I know that I am lucky. In four years of traveling for work, I have only had to sit in the middle seat while flying three times. Because I have elite status with American, I typically get to pick a pretty good seat. On Southwest, I usually remember to print my boarding pass early enough that I can pick out a window or an aisle seat.  But as of this past Tuesday, I have had to sit in the middle seat four times. Luckily, it was a short flight. But even on that short flight, I got some nice time for introspection while the guy to my right was jabbing me in the ribs with his elbow. How can we make it easier on those poor people in the middle? Here are a few ways that I came up with.

• Be aware of your personal space. And by extension, of the personal space of the person next to you. Their space is limited enough already without you leaning over to get stuff out of your bag and putting your head in their lap.
• Let them have the armrests. They have to suffer so much already, just let them have it. What can make a bad situation worse? Having the guy on your right jab you in the ribs with his elbow as he pushes your arm off the armrest.
• Help them when you can. Don’t make them reach over you to grab their beverage from the flight attendant. Be polite when they need to get up to use the restroom. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, these are good etiquette tips for everyone.

We are all in the airplane together, friends! Let’s make this trip as pleasant as we can for everyone involved.

I recently read this article from USA Today on travel etiquette. I am all for etiquette, as is evidenced by the many posts I write about it. I think everyone should be cognizant of the fact that they are not the only traveler on the road, and act accordingly. However, this article quoted several people saying that reclining your seat on a plane is rude. I have never thought of it as rude. It’s something that you are allowed to do to make your seat more comfortable. Yes, if someone in front of you reclines their seat it cuts into your space some, but then you recline your seat and gain that space back. It’s not like someone is putting their feet onto your lap–this is space that the airlines have given to each person, not just a select few.

So. My opinion is that it is not rude. What do you think?

Who would have thought the flights to and from Vegas would give me so much to write about? The drunk people, the wireless mouse, grabbing the seat in front of you….. Here is one more.

On the oh so awesome flight home, which included delays and drunk people, there was another element that contributed to my happy, happy state of mind. A family got on the plane and sat two rows in front of us. Beautiful kids, ages approximately 6, 3, and 1. The parents seemed nice, and were responsive to their kids needs. Until the plane took off.

As the plane was taking off, both parents (BOTH) put on noise canceling headphones. The older kids seemed fine–didn’t hear a peep out of them. But the beautiful, beautiful 1-year old started screaming immediately. And I mean screaming bloody murder at the top of her lungs. I saw the headphones on the parents and thought, surely they are checking on the video or something they are about to play for the baby. But no, the kid screamed and the parents ignored, with headphones on.

This lasted for over twenty minutes, with one parent occasionally leaning over and saying something to the screaming child. But they left the headphones on. Because, hey, there’s no reason they should have to listen to it too right? Just because everyone else did?

Now, I don’t have kids yet, and I am sure that being on a plane while your child is screaming is very hard. I try not to judge parents for how they handle their kids in any situation, because, again, I have no kids and have no idea how I would handle it. What I am upset about here is the headphones. It seemed like the parents were completely disregarding what was going on, and cutting themselves off from everyone else. The rest of us,  meanwhile, had to listen to their child express her displeasure. Not fun, not fun at all.

This is something that, in my experience anyway, not many travelers think about. How many times have you finally gotten into your seat on the plane, put your stuff where you want it, and settled in with your book and headphones, when suddenly you are jerked backward because the person behind you is using your seat back as their personal handle? Most people don’t even realize that every time they touch the seat in front of them, it moves. If they grab it and use it to support them while they sit down, the person in front of it feels it. If they elbow it while moving their stuff, it’s similar to the kid kicking your seat during a movie. There is often an empty seat nearby that you can use to help yourself balance as you maneuver into your row, maybe in the middle of the row in front of you, or next to you. Use that seat, not the one with the napping person in it.

That is all. Thank you.